While the present sculpture is best used in aquariums under water, use may be found in other containers such as terrariums, or as a stand-alone decoration. Since preferred use is inside fish tanks, the following description will be given using a fish tank as an example.
It is common practice for those who enjoy tropical, fresh or saltwater fish, or other aquatic life to provide a habitat within a transparent "fish tank." It is also common that the fish tank be supplied with various decorations to improve visual aesthetics and to lend some measure of variety and habitat for the animals in the tank.
It is desirable to cover the bottom surfaces of fish tanks with an appropriate aquarium gravel. Such gravel functions as a filter medium and contributes to a more natural habitat for the animals. Aquarium gravel also becomes part of a fish tank decoration, and can be purchased in various colors.
Typical fish tank decorations are formed as submersible ceramic sculptures that are intended to rest on the gravel surface. The sculptures may be provided in many different forms, but all (to the present inventor's knowledge) are generally opaque and contrast significantly from the fish tank gravel. There is little color or texture choice for the fish tank owner. Further, the sculptures are typically relatively expensive and some are fragile and difficult to clean.
An object of the present invention is provide a submersible fish tank sculpture that will enable the fish tank owner a choice for decorative color and texture by providing the sculpture in a hollow form that is at least partially transparent and that can be filled with fish tank gravel or other particulate materials. Thus the fish tank owner has a variety of choices for coloration of the transparent parts of the sculpture.
The present sculpture also has for an objective to provide a submersible sculpture that, when filled with gravel or the like, forms the material into a particular decorative shape. Thus, if a fish tank owner would like a decoration to blend better visually with the aquarium gravel in the tank, the receptacle may simply be filled with the same gravel material used to cover the fish tank bottom. The sculpture will then appear to be an integral part of the gravel bottom, but will be clearly visible above the gravel bed. This lends an interesting and striking visual dimension to the otherwise ordinary-appearing fish tank.
The above and still further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which, when taken with the accompanying drawings, disclose a preferred mode of the present invention.